tym2findme

I was banded in 2008 and have pretty much lost all the weight and then some. To be honest, I have yet to hit the "green zone" or "sweet spot". I'm either too loose or too tight. I got kind of a big un-fill before the holidays so I could enjoy the food more. Then I gained weight. After the holidays I had too much of a fill and was way too tight. I have been having it loosened a tiny bit at a time, hoping to finally get to that just right place. Everybody's different, but you will find your way.

I get it when I try to eat something that doesn't go down well.

I started chewing more and that helped, but your post about drinking the water is AMAZING! I started really working at getting that water down and IT DOES make a difference on being able to eat! I don't know how it works or why it makes it easier to keep food down, but it sure does work! Thanks so much for all of your answers

Wow! I can't believe it, but it may have just been a "basics" thing! Since I posted and read the reply about getting back to basics and chewing food, I have been really making an effort to chew and chew, and that seems to have helped. I haven't had a lot of opportunity to really test that, but I made BBQ'd Bratwurst for my husband with the green Beans from my garden that I threw up pre-post, and some rice, and I was able to eat it! Granted, I only ate about 1/4 of a sausage and about 5 big beans cut up, but it went down! We'll see if that does it. If not, I will have to go back for a slight unfill, but seriously, that would be AWFUL because I'm finally losing weight. I'm so grateful for a website like this to be able to speak to others who know what it's like to be the way we looked/felt before, making the decision to do something like this, and then life afterward. - Thanks:rolleyes:

I was banded 15 months ago and have had 4 fills. The only time I have actually had "restriction" was after fill # 3 and I couldn't eat much of anything without throwing it up, most of the time. My diet consists of yogurt, Soup and cheese. Once in a great while for no reason in particular, I can eat a piece of meat if I cut it into tiny pieces, but then I'm right back to throwing up everything I eat. Of course, the exception was when I experimented with my biggest weaknesses, buttered popcorn or onion rings, somehow those stayed down just fine! :tongue2: Then I went in for my 4th fill and they told me I should have come in much sooner because I hadn't lost much weight. I guess I just want to know what the majority of people who have lost a lot of weight with the lap band, consider "restriction". Is it basically not being able to eat much of anything? And, if so, why aren't people just saying that? Or, is my experience just an anomaly, and restriction to everybody else is just not being hungry and having a :blink:lot of self control? Thanks!

I felt the same way. After the 3rd fill (Fill during surgery +2) I finally got the restriction and started losing weight. Just keep going in for your fills and you will get there. It is frustrating though. My surgery was April 14 and I didn't start losing until August. Hang in there!

Don't worry, it wasn't that bad and it only hurts for a minute. You have already been through the surgery, that's the worst part!

Mine was three, including what he put in at the time of surgery.

Hi Cherry, I KNOW, I felt EXACTLY the same way! I stopped even coming to this site because I was so discouraged. It was depressing to see all of these people who had their surgeries later than I did, losing like crazy! I lost the initial 10, then after surgery I actually gained a couple of pounds. I didn't get any restriction from my first 2 fills. I felt like such a failure! The third fill was the one that did the trick. I had my surgery in April and finally got restriction in August! When I went through the classes, they briefly touched on the fact that it could take a little while to get restriction. I think that they should have focused on that much more. After reading and reading on this site and others, I found out that MOST others experience the same thing to varying degrees. My doctor says that over a period of a year or a little bit more, I will likely have the same weight loss as a gastric bypass patient. It's just that the lap band starts off slower. But, we all end up in the same place! :wub: Good luck!

Yep! That sounds just like mine! I've had two and both times they had trouble with the port.

My first fill is tomorrow, and after months of reading posts on this site, I know not to expect much restriction. But that leads me to the question, how many fills did it take for you to get to Lap Band Heaven?

Newme, I was banded on the same day and am in the same boat. Before the surgery and in the weeks following that I was on liquids, I had lost about 18 lbs. now, I have gained back around 5. AND, my first fill isn't until June18th! I have no restriction at all. I can eat anything and am hungry again within a couple of hours. With all the preparation that I did for the surgery, I wasn't ready for this time between surgery and the first fill. Just using will power and hoping for the best now. Karin

After reading all of your posts, I would advise you to call his office and tell them you want copies of all your medical records by whatever day and time. Tell them you will be at their office at that time and to have the records ready. Any doctor who avoids you and obviously doesn't want to talk to you, is a real problem. No matter what his opinion of the surgery is, he is showing blatant disrespect for you, his patient. After you have the surgery, you will have a lot of follow up with your GP. You need someone who you can talk to and who is understanding and supportive. This guy doesn't sound like he fits the bill. Good luck! Karin